Pakistan never to compromise on Kashmir issue: Zardari

ISLAMABAD - Ruling out any compromise on Kashmir issue, President Asif Ali Zardari said Saturday that Kashmir issue would be settled by dialogues. Addressing a convention held at the Presidency in connection with Kashmir Solidarity Day, he reiterated that Pakistan was ready to talk to India on all issues including Kashmir. The Kashmiris will win victory one day, he said adding Pakistan would not take a back step on Kashmir issue. He said the new generation should know that Kashmiris had been giving unprecedented sacrifices for their freedom for last over 60 years. He maintained Kashmiris stand was based on United Nations (UN) resolutions. He said it was a message for the new generation that their history did not carry any point of retreat from their stance. He said Pakistan wanted friendship with all its neighbours including India but their ties should be based on equality and principles. The President held out assurance that the Kashmir issue would be settled and India would have to resolve the dispute through negotiations. He observed that violence was reflective of a defeatist mindset. Strength and victory of Kashmiris lie in the democratic way and dialogue, he remarked. He recalled that Zulfikar Ali Bhutto founded Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) following a disagreement with Gen. Ayub Khan on the Kashmir issue. Bhutto made Kashmiris aware of their rights and Benazir Bhutto raised the issue at forums like Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), he underlined.